WAEC Confirms Full Transition to Computer-Based Exams by 2026
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to fully adopt computer-based testing (CBT) for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) by 2026.
Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of WAEC’s National Office, made the disclosure on Tuesday during a sensitisation meeting with members of the National Assembly Committee on Education in Abuja. He noted that the transition began with private candidates in 2024 and is progressing steadily.
“We have conducted five exams already—one for private candidates and one for school candidates. By 2026, deployment will be massive,” Dangut said.
Addressing concerns over infrastructure and cybersecurity, Dangut assured lawmakers that WAEC had successfully conducted exams even in remote areas without major disruptions. He also stated that candidate performance in CBT assessments has been “empirically better” compared to traditional paper-based tests.
The council aims to expand the implementation of CBT to all school-based candidates, building on the experience gained from earlier phases involving private candidates.
The Federal Government has also confirmed its support for the initiative. On 22nd July 2025, it announced that all WASSCE exams for school candidates will be conducted using CBT centres—both public and privately owned—starting from next year.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the transition would mirror the model used by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), which already conducts its Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in dedicated CBT centres across the country.
“WAEC and NECO exams are school-based exams being conducted in schools. We will move away from that,” Alausa said. “It is going to be like JAMB. We have thousands of CBT centres across the nation, and those are the centres we are going to use.”
He dismissed concerns about inadequate infrastructure, stating that while schools may lack the facilities, the availability of CBT centres nationwide will ensure smooth implementation.